TRACTOR DAY

More than the sum of its parts, this gentle rhyme hums the cadence of a rural family’s day on the farm. Father and daughter ride the aged red tractor through the fields: “Leather seat. / Noisy gears. / Up we go! / Daddy steers.” As the tractor tows the plow, it also excavates talismans of life such as a cracked teacup. The title suggests a very specific book geared toward the vehicle-obsessed reader, but adding dimension to the story is the woven tapestry of farm activity as Mother and the new baby feed the pigs and spread a picnic lunch for the family. Or as the dog stands on his hind legs reaching up toward the muzzle of the mule and yanks the tail of a bewildered cow. Cawing, strutting, flapping crows and ravens are constant companions throughout. With the plowing done, the family spreads seeds over the earth and plants a little garden patch especially for the daughter. This beautiful and stirring celebration has jubilantly detailed illustrations depicting a bucolic farm life that is lingering—and perhaps fading—from our landscape. (Picture book. 2-5)